New research confirms a more liberal approach to blood transfusions in heart attack patients

A study by Rutgers Health shows that donating more blood to anemic patients after a heart attack could save lives.

The study, published in , confirms a 2023 study that suggested mortality or recurrent heart attacks were more common in anemic patients who received less blood.

Both studies were led by Jeffrey L. Carson, provost and distinguished professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. A study conducted in 2023 – called MINT (myocardium infarction and transfusion) – assessed transfusions in patients with anemia after a heart attack.

Following the 2023 study, Carson planned a blood transfusion study that combined data from similar studies to produce more accurate estimates of treatment effects.

Working with researchers in France and the United States, Carson collected data from four clinical trials examining blood transfusions in 4,311 heart attack patients. These studies included patients who had suffered a heart attack and had low blood counts. Half of the patients received fewer blood transfusions and the other half received more. The studies compared the rates of death after 30 days or recurrent heart attacks and death after six months.

The results of this analysis, published recently in the journal, did not conclusively show that fewer blood transfusions increased a patient’s risk of death or heart attack within 30 days, but did suggest that using fewer transfusions was associated with an increased risk of death at age six. months.

In the original clinical trial, a large percentage of patients had a history of heart attack, heart failure, diabetes, or kidney disease. The average age of the participants was 72 years, of which 45% were women.

The researchers compared the rate of the primary outcome of death or recurrent heart attack 30 days after enrollment in the study. The study found, although not statistically significant, that the rate of death or recurrent heart attack was 2.4% lower when the liberal approach was used.

The results of this analysis show that donating more blood to anemia and heart attack patients could save lives within six months.”

Jeffrey L. Carson, Chancellor and Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University

Both studies were funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

For nearly two decades, Carson has studied the impact of red blood cell transfusion strategies in ensuring optimal treatment for patients. His work helped develop transfusion guidelines in 2012, used by doctors to inform patients about treatment, and updates were announced last year, emphasizing an individualized approach in adults and children that takes into account underlying health problems, patient preferences and symptoms.